Chapter 36: Main vs Substitute

"The final of the Tokyo Spring Tournament, the match between West Tokyo Seidou High School and West Tokyo Yakushi High School, officially begins!"

With the umpire's command, both teams rushed to the center of the field.

"PLEASED TO PLAY WITH YOU!"

"PLEASED TO PLAY WITH YOU!!"

They formed two lines, standing opposite each other, bowing to one another.

This was their greeting.

After the greeting was over, the official game began.

Yakushi High School was the first to attack, with Akiba Kazuma stepping up to the batter's box.

On the mound for Seidou High School stood the first-year rookie, Nishiyama Kibo.

In the dugout of Yakushi High School, Todoroki Raizou turned to remind the players to enjoy the game, then shifted his gaze to the Seidou High School dugout.

Coach Kataoka!

Among all the coaches in the country today, he is the one in the spotlight.

Despite not ranking in the top ten nationally in terms of experience, qualifications, or personal skills, Coach Kataoka is fortunate!

He has somehow gathered a group of geniuses, dominating both the summer Koshien and spring Koshien consecutively. Few teams in history have achieved such consecutive championships in Koshien.

Not to mention, just based on this achievement, Coach Kataoka has enough merit to be remembered in history.

Furthermore, with Seidou High School's current lineup, their glory will continue.

"Even I feel a bit envious!"

Opening his drooping eyelids, Todoroki Raizou said half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Even Todoroki Raizou himself feels that this joke isn't funny at all.

From Sawamura Eijun's debut until now, he has never lost so many points in so many games!

Why would Yakushi High School get so many points in one go?

"It seems we need new strength, not just on the mound, but also in the lineup."

Thinking of this, Todoroki Raizou raised his head to glance at the cheering section of Yakushi High School.

At the very front of the section sat a tall figure.

Just as Todoroki Raizou was lost in thought, the duel on the field had already begun.

Akiba Kazuma faced off against the super freshman from Seidou High School, Nishiyama Kibo.

For Nishiyama, this scene was also quite novel.

In fact, he had long anticipated that Coach Kataoka would definitely give him another opportunity to pitch.

After all, he had performed so well before; as long as Coach Kataoka wasn't blind, he would surely recognize his strength.

Only by measuring the limits of his own ability could Coach Kataoka know what kind of situations he would need his strength for in the future.

Nishiyama had imagined many scenarios for when Coach Kataoka would call him to play.

But he never thought that Coach Kataoka would let him step onto a stage like the finals of the Spring Tournament.

Though, by convention, this game was originally meant for substitutes.

But the opponent is Yakushi High School after all!

A team that has a good chance of going all out to compete for the Championship.

How could Coach Kataoka so confidently and boldly allow him to play?

For Nishiyama, if he were in Coach Kataoka's position, he would never send a rookie into such an important game.

Before stepping onto the field, he took a deep look at his coach.

Nishiyama silently resolved that he must perform well on the field and absolutely cannot disappoint Coach Kataoka's expectations…

Today, Nishiyama Kibo feels this deeply.

He has secretly resolved to show his full strength in today's game.

Whoosh!

Pulling off his form, Nishiyama pitched the ball directly!

Akiba at the plate, watched the flying baseball and did not swing his bat.

If it were a typical rookie from Seidou who is pitching, Akiba Kazuma wouldn't care much.

There is still a significant gap between a freshman who just entered high school and a truly outstanding high school player.

Exceptions do exist! Like the Maou Sawamura Eijun, who had excellent strength when he just entered high school.

But such situations are rare and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe them as insignificant. No matter how careful Akiba was, it would be impossible to be wary of everyone.

But this newcomer is different.

Nishiyama, once the Ace of the team representing Japan in the World Little Series, leading his teammates all the way to the finals.

With such experience, no matter what Nishiyama's current state is, Akiba will treat him with caution.

"STRIKE!"

The first ball was caught steadily by Ono.

Nishiyama leads with a Strike!

Nishiyama, who was leading in the count, didn't show much of a happy smile on his face.

On the contrary, his expression was somewhat serious.

'The opponent was more challenging than I imagined.'

Despite Akiba not swinging at the previous pitch and appearing to do nothing, an expert can perceive the subtleties.

From Akiba's stance, Nishiyama inferred that this guy had a general plan.

What he saw was just a glimpse, but Nishiyama was able to generally estimate the strength of the team in front of him.

'Their strength is very strong!'

This terrifying pressure, Nishiyama had not encountered even in the world championships.

'Are there so many monsters in West Tokyo?'

Nishiyama's doubts flashed by, and then he understood.

'It must be due to their age.'

Even though they are the strongest players of their generation, the difference in overall quality remains large because their bodies have not fully developed.

In this context, comparing a freshman who just entered high school with older students who have honed their physical level for a year or two shows a clear disparity.

He himself is just a freshman who just entered high school!

Understanding this, he started to relax a bit.

Nishiyama stopped being alarmed by the opponent's overwhelming strength.

But he would face off against his opponent with his full strength.

Ping!

After several pitches back and forth, Akiba finally seized a good hit and sent the ball flying.

"SAFE!"

By the time the ball was returned, Akiba had safely reached first base!

In his first at-bat as a starter, the opponent got a hit…

In terms of the start, today can be said to be an inauspicious beginning for Seidou High School.

***

Sweat was trickling down Nishiyama's neck.

For today's game, Nishiyama had made meticulous preparations. He specifically watched a lot of game footage from Yakushi High School, knowing that this opponent's offensive strength was formidable.

He originally thought he was mentally well-prepared, having devised various strategies against the opponent.

But standing on the field for the duel felt different; the terrifying pressure was something Nishiyama had never experienced in previous games.

It felt as if he wasn't standing on Jingu Stadium at all.

But on an ancient battlefield.

The nine players of Yakushi High School resembled an army, drawing their swords at this moment.

Even without launching the final charge, their chilling momentum made one shudder.

Nishiyama had heard rumors before that the top high school teams were nearing the level of professional teams.

He thought it was an exaggeration.

Now it seemed that there was no exaggeration at all; he had been somewhat naive.

'Yakushi!'

One of the best teams in the country; in terms of offensive power, it could even be said to be the best in the nation.

In today's game, it wasn't Sanada Shunpei standing on the pitching mound for Yakushi High School.

After all, they hadn't fielded their strongest lineup yet.

The absence of their Ace pitcher directly affected the team's overall strength.

However, when it came to offensive power, the Yakushi in front of him had not held back at all.

They were the main force of Yakushi High School, known as the nine most ferocious batters in the country.

"Whew!!"

He let out a long breath.

Nishiyama stared intently at his opponent on the plate.

'I can't tell if the coach had miscalculated, or if the opponent's coach had played a trick.'

It felt strange as if he had fallen into a trap.

Just two duels at the plate had already made Nishiyama feel sore.

His limbs felt stiff, and his pitching motion wasn't smooth…

If this continued, he wouldn't be able to pitch even seven innings, let alone nine.

He had to find a way to break the deadlock.

'Haha, kid! It doesn't matter if you're a World Series champion pitcher; you're just a first-year standing on Seidou's mound—you're still too inexperienced!'

"I will hit a Homerun!"

Mishima, standing in the batter's box, roared.

As a hidden fan of Sawamura Eijun, he believed that only one person could match Seidou's mound: the demon king, Sawamura Eijun; others, like Furuya Satoru, were only eligible for rotation.

Kawakami, Nishiyama…

They weren't even qualified to be substitutes.

The gap was too wide!

Now, he didn't know if Seidou's Coach was being foolish or if these players themselves were delusional.

'To actually send a freshman substitute into such an important game.'

'Haha!'

'Let me, Mishima-sama, do a good deed and tell them that the mound in the finals isn't something everyone can handle.'

Mishima seemed very big-headed and was quite unpleasant.

But the pressure he brought was genuine.

The air was stagnant, filled with the smell of gunpowder.

Experience told Nishiyama that this opponent was extraordinary.

'If I didn't show his true skills, I might get swept away by the opponent's bat.'

'There was no room to hold back any longer!'

Having made up his mind, Nishiyama signaled to Ono on the mound.

Ono frowned slightly, looking at Nishiyama in confusion.

Ordinary people might underestimate a first-year student from Seidou, but Ono wouldn't. He had seriously caught Nishiyama's pitches in private.

He was completely stunned when he caught the ball.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, even if someone told him it was thrown by a freshman, he would have a hard time believing it! Even having witnessed a demon like Sawamura Eijun and a monster like Furuya Satoru, he still found it hard to believe that a first-year could throw at that level.

'That pitch could rival Amahisa's Slider, Furuya's Forkball, and Sawamura's Straight-Fastball…'

All equally lethal!

A first-year freshman actually held such a weapon.

Last night.

When Nishiyama threw that pitch, Ono was completely dumbfounded.

SNAP!

The baseball hit the edge of his mitt and flew far away.

"What was that?"

Ono stood up in surprise, murmuring.

Nishiyama's expression was very indifferent.

"This is my weapon!"

World Series runner-up pitcher.

When he first heard that title, Ono found it astonishing.

He thought the team had an impressive newcomer, but just a newcomer.

To say that the rookie could secure a spot on Seidou's current pitching roster…

He wouldn't believe it.

It was just a joke, and even if it was a joke, it wasn't funny.

Seidou High School wasn't the same as when pitchers were scarce before. Today, Seidou is a renowned pitching kingdom, with a pitching lineup that is second to none in the country; absolutely no one could surpass it.

Not even Komadai Fujimaki High School is known for training pitchers.

Their pitching depth couldn't compare to Seidou's.

The gap was even greater than one and a half stars…

Under such circumstances, it was difficult for a rookie to stand out in Seidou's pitching lineup.

But after just one pitch, Ono's view changed completely.

Even in his opinion, Nishiyama still seemed a bit immature.

'He was more accustomed to tactics and skills!'

'This is also a common issue for middle school players; since their physical level isn't as strong, they rely more on tactics and techniques.'

'But in high school, it's entirely different.'

High school is the most significant growth phase for boys physically; during junior high, they primarily grow taller, while in high school, they gain strength.

'By the time players reach their third year, their physical qualities are not far off from grown adults.'

They can rely on physical strength to do things they couldn't do before.

So baseball changes dramatically in high school.

It is for these reasons that, although Nishiyama bears the title of world champion pitcher, the seasoned players of Seidou's baseball team regard him as ordinary.

After all, players who excelled in middle school often struggled in high school and were not few.

But after witnessing just one pitch, Ono knew it wasn't objective to judge Nishiyama as an ordinary freshman.

The strength he possessed now far surpassed that of an average newcomer.

Whoosh!

Nishiyama, taking his stance, decisively threw the small ball in his hand.

The moment the ball was thrown.

Mishima in the Batter's Box had an incredibly fierce expression.

He wanted to convey an irrefutable truth to his opponent: high school baseball was still too distant for him.

Of course, personal emotions were involved.

If he could handle him cleanly, Mishima could boast to his friends later.

'What's a world runner-up? He's still no match for me…'

As that thought crossed his mind, Mishima became especially motivated!

'Hmph!'

Just thinking about it made him a bit excited.

Before the excitement in Mishima's heart faded, he witnessed a remarkable scene.

The small ball that was thrown seemed to have suddenly transformed into a cold bullet.

The moment the bullet was fired, the surrounding space froze.

Even Mishima was momentarily dazed, as if about to be hit by a bullet.

'Shuuto?!?!'

Alarm bells rang in his mind; Mishima knew very well that if he didn't hit the ball here, He likely wouldn't get another chance.

If the momentum is taken away; like rolling a snowball, the opponent's momentum would definitely grow stronger.

'No!'

He bit his lip secretly.

Mishima's persona exploded immediately.

'If I'm lucky, hitting it could yield great rewards.'

'If I can't hit, it will be a Foul, slowing him down.'

He decisively swung at the pitch.

Ping!

The ball was struck and flew towards third base.

From third base, a bald baseman dashed out and successfully fielded the ball.

SNAP!

"OUT!!!"

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

In the stands of Jingu Stadium.

The supporters of Seidou High School were beyond excited.

…

T/N: The match with the Yakushi starts!

And because I don't want this match to be as long as the one before it, I will be picking up the pace a bit.

As for the Orientation game, it will be after the Finals!

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